The present invention relates to an improved exercise apparatus and more specifically to an exercise apparatus in which bumper assemblies are provided at opposite ends of a sheet to engage the feet of a person sliding on a smooth upper side surface of the sheet.
A known exercise apparatus for a speed skater or similar athlete is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,862 issued Oct. 25, 1988 and entitled "Exercising Apparatus for Skaters". This known apparatus includes a base formed by a plurality of boards arranged in a side-by-side relationship. The boards are interconnected by hinges. A flexible sheet having a smooth upper glide surface is placed on the base formed by the boards. Bumper assemblies clamp opposite ends of the sheet to the base.
A skater or other exerciser using this known apparatus wears socks over suitable shoes. The exerciser then gets on the glide sheet and pushes against one bumper with one foot and slides along the sheet until the other foot hits the opposite bumper. The exerciser then pushes off from the second bumper and slides back toward the first bumper. This sliding movement between the bumpers is repeated until the exercises ar completed.
Although this known apparatus has been generally satisfactory, difficulty has been encountered in storing the apparatus due to the use of a plurality of boards as a base for the flexible sheet. In addition, impact forces against the sides of an exerciser's foot by engagement with the bumper assemblies may tend to cause some discomfort after extended use of the apparatus.